08/20/2026
Thank you, photography.
Youâve given me more than images. Youâve given me people I might only see once a year, but who somehow inspire me every day. Youâve made me part of a community I never imagined I would belong to. You even gave me the chance to see my work inside one of New York Cityâs great photography museums for a night. Fotografiska HAROLD HUNTER FOUNDATION
There are moments when you feel like you can reach the stars, and others when it feels like youâre sinking to the bottom of the ocean.
There are friendships you swear are real until one day you realize you were standing in the room alone.
People will disappoint you. Some will mistake kindness for weakness. Some will take what you freely gave and make you regret giving it in the first place.
Thatâs part of it too.
The strange thing is, you keep going. You pick up the camera. You walk into another room full of strangers. You trust someone again. You make something because, for reasons you canât always explain, making something still feels better than giving up.
The good days are extraordinary. The bad ones can make you want to disappear.
Most of life happens somewhere in between.
And maybe thatâs the beauty of it. The highs mean more because youâve known the lows.
If I could give one piece of advice to any young photographer, it would be this: donât quit just because the story gets ugly.
Keep showing up. Keep shooting. Stay curious. Stay generous, but learn who deserves it.
Thereâs still a lot worth seeing.